ENG mini essay 250-300 words ( need in 22 hours )

ENGL 102

MINI-ESSAYS You will be required to write two mini-essays for Module 1. The overall purpose of writing mini-essays is to help you focus one of the readings and put it in the context of understanding how literary devices work, and, ideally to see a relationship to the themes and ideas across time and geography. A sample question and outline follows this assignment’s description. WHY: Practically speaking, mini-essays will help you:

 Keep up to date with your readings

 Reflect, through your own writing, your understanding of the topics

 Develop topics for your major essays

 Detect trends in the universality of themes fundamental to the human experience. WHAT:

 Each mini-essay should be about 250 - 300 words long (one page, double- spaced 12 point Times New Roman font), based on your response to a question about the readings.

 It should have a thesis statement. In most cases, you can re-state my question as your central idea

 The thesis statement should be developed with one example from the reading and your explanation of its significance.

 The conclusion should emphasize your response to my question. HOW: I will post several sample questions for the poems and for the short stories. Choose one question for your mini-essay or make up a similar question on your own.

 In one sentence, identify the poem or short story and describe what it is about.

 Restate the question as your thesis. IMPORTANT: Do not write a standard introduction; mini-essays are short and to the point.

 Cite one specific example from the reading, including the page number from the text, and show how it responds to the question. DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE READING OR RETELL THE STORY. Instead, assume I am familiar with the content to which you refer. You may use a brief quotation or you may paraphrase the example in a sentence or two. Comment on what the example means. In other words, show how you understand this to be a relevant or interesting example.

 Conclude your mini-essay with your response to the question.

 Edit the mini-essay for coherence and correctness

 Proofread the mini-essay for grammar, spelling, and mechanics.

 Submit the mini-essay by the due date. Grading: Each mini-essay is worth 25 points:

Topic Description Points

Introduction Identifies the poem/short story and summarizes basic idea 0 - 5

Thesis: clearly stated and responds to the question 0 - 5

Thesis Development

Use an example that identifies a word or phrase and shows how it develops the poem/story’s main idea.

0 - 10

Conclusion: reinforces the example and response to the question 0 - 2

Composition Mini-essay is coherent, unified and complete 0 - 3

5 points will be deducted for each class period the paper is submitted after its due date. WHEN: The first mini-essay is due September 10; the second mini-essay is due September 24. LAST NOTES:

1. These are informal essays, which means you may use 1st and 2nd person pronouns in your essays.

2. Mini-Essay I is your initiation to the mini-essays. Therefore, if you are uncertain

about how to do this assignment, you may revise it, using my feedback. Unlike the remaining mini-essay, I have allowed for several submissions so you may understand how to write a mini-essay. The other mini-essay may not be revised. If you have questions, please contact me.